Crumar Spirit analog synth

Great little synth I just got back from being serviced by James Walker at Synth Repair Services. It had a new power supply and a faulty keyboard DAC replaced as well as a full service
Don't have much experience of it, so just me noodling.

from Vintagesynth.com:

The Crumar Spirit was originally designed by Bob Moog (himself), Jim Scott & Tom Rhea and released back in 1983. It is a full featured analog monophonic synthesizer with 2 VCO's so it's got a pretty fat tone, but not as much as the classic 3-VCO Minimoog. However it is considerably more flexible than the latter. It has a basic 37-note keyboard without velocity or aftertouch. The two oscillators feature basic sawtooth, triangle and square waves and can be synced together.

The filter section is very nice featuring low-, high- and band-pass filters and switchable 12dB or 24dB slopes. Other features of the filter include an independent envelope with inverted and normal ADSR, key tracking and single or multiple triggering of the filter. Some other features of the Spirit include a built-in ring-modulator, an Arpeggiator with 3 different patterns and that can be linked to the LFO, and there's an external audio input for running external sounds through its filters, LFOs or Ring Mod.

For the hands-on approach, the Spirit is sure to please. There are 24 knobs, 10 switches and 15 sliders to start. There are 3 performance wheels for controlling the Pitch, Mod-X and Shaper-Y modulation effects (see LFO specs below). Using those with the Arpeggiator can get pretty wild. The Arpeggiator features 3 modes: Ripple (Up/Down), Arpeggio (Up several octaves) and Leap (Goes up 1 and then 4 octaves). There are also Auto and preset Glide modes for getting some elasticity or bending effects. Since all the LFOs, envelopes and filters are quite flexible you are sure to get some weird noises, fat basses, synths, etc. with the Spirit

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Synthesizer
• Analogue
• Modular
• Buchla
• Moog
• Crumar
• Synthesis
• Morley
• ARP

[buchla300]

value all depends if it works for you or not.

I wouldn't pay much for an MS20..never did it for me.

The Crumar is weird but cool. dual filters, arpeggiator, pretty complex mod possibilites and can sound beautiful with it. Rarity makes it collectible to a certain extent but sure, the asking prices are crazy.

I love it though..

[Syntox]

@buchla300 - there's one going for almost $3000 dollars on Craigslist here in NYC...uh...it's a bit much no?

[buchla300]

@Syntox Hi there

I sold mine actually as I am on the waiting list for the Synton Fenix which I'll need to pay for. Didn't want to really as it is a fabulous synth but the Fenix 2 will be as well!

I got nearly that but not quite. I'd say $2000-$3000 seems the going rate.

[SanusSensus]

As an enthusiast of more performance orientated (real-time) synthesis, this is probably the best synth I've ever seen, heard or even heard of...

[buchla300]

@SanusSensus Thanks! Yes, it is a great Synth. A few annoying things when working with it mainly due to the Italian build quality, but it sounds brilliant and is extremely flexible

[discothief]

Bob Moog helped out when this synth was being developed. He was asked for advice by the team at Crumar.

The best synth Crumar ever made and still miles better than any VST or digital synth.

[buchla300]

Absolutely!

[chrstman]

There's one of these on sale at ebay right now, but the seller is asking around 5 G's for it. That's ridiculously way too much money in my opinion.

[WolfRayStar]

did u kno this synth has both first and last note priority? thats how i came to this vid

[astroboomboy]

@chrstman Do you remember the name of the seller, I think he is still listing it for that price after a whole year, hehe.

[beckywixon94]

nice use of timing

[cger99]

@buchla300 They are not really worth that much. I got mint one in late 2008 for $2000 simply out of curiosity and from watching this video, sold it few months later for $3800, which I think was crazy. The main problems I had with it was slow envelopes. I think cause I'm spoiled by my Pro-One. Overall it was a cool synth but I don't think it is really worth such a high price. For that much money it's better to build small Modcan modular. I still have Pro-One, liked it much more then Spirit.

[RFreigeldorff]

nice video.

definitely a machine I'd love to spend some time with to dig into the complex architecture. too bad they cost an arm and a leg...

[funkality]

wow!! Sounds alot like the Arp 2600. The Spirit Bob moog designed for Crumar. It was rumored that they used an arp 2600 type component to get that arpegiator function. This was after moog sued arp for arp stealing their circuitry! ha

[Laura041974]

@ShimmySystem You need the book "Analog synthesizers, understanding, performing, buying" by Mark Jenkins. It covers the development of synths and history of makers, interviews with players. He also tells you HOW to do it, how they work, what each control does and gives advice on buying one. Prices are higher now. Softsynths, computer emulations of old synths are there too. Sound on Sound magazine on the net has practical, helpful articles. The SCI prophet 5 manual is useful too.

[MatteusNova]

@buchla300 I think I bought a MS20 for €150. Was a while ago though. :P